THE views of North Wales businesses are being sought by a group tasked with reviewing higher education provision in North East Wales.

The group – appointed by the Welsh Government and chaired by Sir Adrian Webb – wants to meet with business owners in North Wales to gain their views on the future of higher education in the region and the relationship small firms should have with universities.

The meeting, facilitated by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), will ask what North Wales needs in terms of education and skills provision and how the needs of businesses can be better supported.

It will explore how a comprehensive higher education offering might look, whether current provision reflects this and how new models might be developed.

Mike Learmond, FSB Wales’s development manager for North Wales, said: “The FSB has made no secret of its concern that, too often, there is a mismatch between the skills businesses require and those possessed by graduates and young people.

“The group’s work will be fed straight back to the Welsh Government and today’s session will be an opportunity for education leaders and experts to hear directly from businesses.”

The meeting will take place at The Beaufort Park Hotel, New Brighton, near Mold, at 7pm on January 28. Email northwales@fsb.org.uk.